South Sudan’s Catholic Diocese of Wau in collaboration with the Northern Bahr el Ghazal State health ministry has launched an eye treatment campaign in Aweil Town targeting about 1,000 patients with cataracts.
The health adviser for the Catholic Diocese of Wau, Tatiana Gerber, told Radio Tamazuj on Thursday that the campaign started on 4th April and will conclude by 12th April 2022.
“The campaign started on the 4th and we operate every day over 100 people and our target is to operate 1,000 to reduce blindness in the State. The treated people can support the families again, not a burden to the families, and no child has to take care of the blind,” he added.
Patients who came for the campaign expressed hopes that they would regain their vision.
Michael Lual who hails from Aweil North County’s Mayen Ulem Payam said: “I come here for the eye treatment and I have four years without vision at all. I need to see again, I am suffering because I don’t see people.”
Tong Akoon, also a patient has appreciated Brigadier General Yel Deng Nguel for his efforts in transporting him from the far east of Aweil East County, Akoong area to Aweil town for the treatment.
“I came from an area called Majak under Akoong because my eyes were destroyed but someone identified as Yel Maguang (Yel Deng Nguel) has brought me here so that my eyes get operated on,” he said.
“I hope to see again. All I do is sit idle and I can’t move from one place to another,” he added.
In December last year, a similar campaign funded by the German government treated about 500 cataract patients.
Gerber said that according to reports, more than 10,000 people suffer from eye sicknesses in Norther Bahr el Ghazal State.